Get Started with Vista

1 The computer system

1.1 Don't wait!

8

1.2 Input devices

9

1.3 Parts of the computer system

12

2 The Desktop

2.1 Understanding the Vista Desktop

13

2.2 The Start Menu

15

2.3 Starting programs with 'Start' and 'Start Search'

17

3 Taking control

3.1 Waking up, clicking the mouse, shutting down

19

3.2 Logging in

23

3.3 Opening, closing, maximizing, minimizing windows

25

3.4 Moving a window

30

3.5 Resizing a window

31

3.6 Scrolling

33

4 Setting up a new user

4.1 Why set up a new user account?

36

4.2 Create a new Standard User account

37

5 Get yourself ready

5.1 Ergonomics

41

5.2 USB

45

5.3 Networking

46

5.4 Change the way your mouse works

47

5.5 Ease of Access

49

6 Basic skills

6.1 What are interactions?

50

6.2 The importance of good mouse skills

52

6.3 Starting a program

53

6.4 Enabling games (for users of Vista Ultimate only!)

54

6.5 Finding programs and files

57

6.6 Mouse practice - buttons and clicking

58

6.7 Mouse practice - dragging

59

6.8 Improving mouse control and speed

60

7 What's happening inside the computer?

7.1 What's inside the computer?

61

7.2 The internal hardware

63

7.3 Removable storage

68

7.4 Computer speed

72

7.5 Profiling your system

73

7.6 What is an operating system?

74

7.7 History of the OS

75

7.8 Memory requirements

76

7.9 What happens during startup?

78

8 Keeping things organized

8.1 Understanding files and folders

80

8.2 Exploring the file hierarchy

83

8.3 Do it now!

87

8.4 Folders

90

9 Get started with 'Paint'

9.1 Launching 'Paint'

95

9.2 The Paint Tool Box - the Brush and Line tools

96

9.3 Select, delete, undo, redo

98

9.4 The Paint Bucket tool

100

9.5 Selecting areas

102

9.6 Draw a bigger picture

104

9.7 Pixels

105

9.8 The Airbrush tool

108

9.9 Help

110

9.10 The Text tool

111

9.11 The floating Tool Box

115

9.12 Paint a picture

117

10 Saving and opening files

10.1 Saving for the first time

118

10.2 Locating the file

122

10.3 Opening files with the right program

125

10.4 Saving the changes

130

11 Take a test - 'Paint'

11.1 Paint

131

12 Editing

12.1 Cut, Copy, Paste

132

13 Skills' check

13.1 What we've covered so far

135

14 Get started with word processing

14.1 Why not Microsoft Office?

140

14.2 Starting WordPad

142

14.3 Starting the lesson

144

14.4 Saving your work

147

14.5 Open the file

150

14.6 Continuing the letter

152

14.7 Paragraphs

154

14.8 Insert some text

157

15 Versioning

15.1 Versioning with 'Save as ...'

160

15.2 Check the two versions

165

16 Formatting documents

16.1 Format text

168

16.2 Fonts

174

16.3 Cut, copy, paste

179

17 Working with other media

17.1 The media

180

17.2 Using a CD

182

17.3 Using a flash drive

184

17.4 Navigating media

185

17.5 Ejecting a flash drive

188

17.6 NotePad

191

18 Punctuation and page layout

18.1 Upper case again

195

18.2 Rulers

196

18.3 Define a printer

199

18.4 Page setup

200

18.5 Ruler settings

203

18.6 Aligning paragraphs

204

18.7 Lists

206

18.8 Tabs

207

18.9 Indented paragraphs

213

19 File management

19.1 Moving files around

215

19.2 Drag and drop

216

19.3 Copy and paste

221

19.4 Esc(ape)

223

19.5 Copying files from other media

224

19.6 Copying a file to the flash drive - easy backups

225

19.7 Locating files

227

19.8 Shortcuts

229

19.9 Duplicating a file using right-click

233

19.10 Duplicate a file using copy and paste

234

20 Finishing the letter

20.1 Editing the letter

235

20.2 Insert

236

20.3 Addressing and signing off

237

20.4 Find and Replace

238

20.5 The finished letter

240

20.6 Print a file

241

20.7 Printers

244

21 Take a test - 'WordPad'

21.1 Travel itinerary

246

22 From basic to advanced word processing

22.1 Basic word processing

247

22.2 Does 'more advanced' mean 'better'?

248

22.3 Learn to type!

250

23 Dealing with emergencies

23.1 When programs don't respond to mouse-clicks or key-presses

251

24 More file management

24.1 Explore the search function

255

24.2 The powerful search function is a security risk

259

25 The Recycle Bin

25.1 What is it?

260

25.2 "Should I delete the files I no longer need?"

261

25.3 Moving a file to the Recycle Bin

263

25.4 Exploring the Recycle Bin

266

25.5 Emptying the Recycle Bin

267

26 Backups and archives

26.1 Archival photographs

268

26.2 Archived data

269

26.3 Why Backup?

271

26.4 A backup strategy

273

26.5 Software for backing up

281

26.6 Prescriptions for backing up

283

26.7 Restoring files

284

27 Security

27.1 Protecting yourself from malware

285

27.2 Windows Security Center

286

27.3 Taking charge of security

288

28 Housekeeping

28.1 Disk Cleanup

289

28.2 Defragmentation

290

28.3 Erasing the hard drive!

291

29 Customization

29.1 Suit yourself!

292

29.2 Sidebar and gadgets

293

30 Next steps

30.1 Getting help and learning more

296

30.2 Computers are versatile

299

30.3 You're no longer a beginner

300

31 Appendices